**Letting God Make You Beautiful

        Today is the first Sunday of Advent. Reading 1 comes from Isaiah 63 and 64. The last verse reads, "Yet, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay and you the potter: we are all the work of your hands." The image that we are the clay and the Father is the potter is a beautiful one. To acknowledge this is willing to let the the Lord mold and shape you to his heart's content so that you become most beautiful for him to behold. 

**Getting into Heaven Is Easy

        On our own, we can never be good enough to get into heaven. But if we let God help us, the problem is no more. As Jesus said to his disciples in Matthew 19:26, "For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible." Besides, the Lord wishes and desires that we all get into heaven.

***Sober Warning and Advice

          This is today's Gospel reading, Luke 21:34-36. 

        Jesus said to his disciples: "Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man."

        We may not carouse or even be drunk, but may very well be anxious about something. Since the day of the Lord's coming will catch us by surprise, to be vigilant at all times is truly the appropriate advice. It would indeed be horrible to have the Lord catch you in the midst of spreading fake news, cussing at someone, committing an impure act, or doing ballot stuffing. I personally see attaining and  remaining in union with the Lord as our best preparation, as you'll already have the Lord dwelling in you.

***God Is Our Life

         In yesterday's 1st reading from Revelation 20, the book of life was mentioned. In today's 1st reading from Revelation 22, an angel showed John the river of life-giving water, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. On either side of the river grew the tree of life. In John 11:25, Jesus Said, "I am the resurrection and the life." In John 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life." So simply, God who is the source of all life is life. For us, to know the Lord is to have life eternal. It was also revealed to John that the Lord is coming soon for all his servants and that night will be no more, nor will they need light from lamp or sun, for the Lord God shall give them light. Surely it is this light that will sustains our life for all eternity.

***Knowing Enough to Be Saved

        The Gospel reading at Mass continues with readings from Revelation. Many people have tried to interpret the book Revelation and arrived at different conclusions. I am content to learn just what's clear and leave the many mysteries alone. From today's reading from Revelation 4, I learn that anyone whose name is not written in the book of life will be thrown into the pool of fire, the second death. Of course, i do not know when this will happen or exactly what the second death is all about, but I do know that I need to make sure that my name is written in the book of life. Again, I don't need to know exactly what the book of life is, but I know without a doubt that I only need to be in Christ to have my name written in it. This is good enough for me.

**Praying Without Doubt

        You have two choices after you ask for some favor from the Lord. (1) You feel unsettled, always wondering if he is going to grant you what you've asked for or not. (2) You know that the Lord has heard you and will answer your prayer, not wondering about how he's going to do it. I think the second option is much better, for it shows that you have faith and you leave the door open for God to surprise you.

****Are You Honest with God?

        We must be completely honest with God, sharing everything and hiding nothing. This is absolutely important if you truly want to know the Lord and be in total harmony with him. This is also the key to experiencing freedom in the Lord. "Honesty is the best policy" works with God too.

**Not Shocked by Evildoers

         They lie to the American people daily and now try to steal a national election by fraud. What can you expect from anyone who has no qualms whatsoever about killing the unborn? When you rebel against the Lord, you instantly become the greatest loser in the world. Even if you gain the whole world, you still end up losing your own soul. May God have mercy on them.

***Feel It for Jesus!

        To be one with the Lord, we must feel what he feels. If he suffers, let's suffer along with him. If he is joyful, let's be joyful too. To be united with our Savior is to have life eternal, and is our greatest joy!  

*****Warning of Second Coming

         In today's Gospel reading from Luke 21, Jesus spoke about his Second Coming to his disciples. That's right, he was still living among them. He told his disciples, "When these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand." We must be prepared and look forward to this day of our redemption. If we don't, what could happen to us would be unthinkable. 

***Christ Is Joy!***

        Today is Thanksgiving Day in USA. I thank the Lord for all he has done for us. I especially thank him for having turned everything into joy for those who follow him. The Lord has given me freedom, peace, and joy, more or less in that order; yet joy comes to my mind first whenever I think of him. It must be because freedom and peace are experienced quietly and joy can be truly overwhelming. Anyhow, the Lord is the source of our joy. The Resurrection, Ascension, and the Descent of the Holy Spirit fill us with joy. Heaven is all joy. Follow Christ and you'll have joy forever!

**Complaining Is Not Christlike

         Even though it's not Friday yet, I prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary for a special intention. I realized that the Lord suffered so much and died on the cross for us willingly and that we who trust in him really should not complain about anything in life anymore! The Lord does not wish us to ever worry or be anxious about anything. Complaining only reveals our self-pity and lack of trust in God.  

***Completing Our Relationship with God

        This morning I had a dream and woke up around 4:20 a.m. It was an unusual dream that's not easy to describe and would be incomprehensible to all, yet the personal message to me was clear. So I'll just tell you what I learned. When we normally want to establish a relationship with someone, we would get to know that person first. And if the person is worth knowing and meets our approval, then we try to befriend the subject, and so forth. What the Lord showed me is that he loves us, wants to save us, and even be one with us, and that he has already prepared this most intimate relationship for us to enter into. The invitation is out. We only need to accept it and we'll have the most treasurable relationship we'll ever need. 

***Our Role in God's Plan

        You see, God has his perfect plan for the whole world and all of us. He knows exactly what he is doing. We only need to get to know him so that we may know his will and follow it. Nothing more is necessary. Doubting, worrying, predicting what might happen . . . are all out of place. Just trust and obey him and things will work out the best. I think you will agree with me if you apply common sense and think logically.

**Opportunity in Evil Times

        As our nation and the whole world seem to be undergoing vicious demonic attacks, those who are with Christ do experience a heavy burden on their hearts. But let us see that this is also a wonderful time for us to abandon ourselves completely in the Lord. You've probably heard the saying "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." For us, it would be "The more Evil arises, the stronger we become in God." Our ultimate victory is, of course, assured.

**True Blessing of Living*

        Most people wish that they will have a long life because they see it as a blessing from God. Maybe or maybe not. Let me give you the truth. How long you live on earth does not really matter. What matters is how much you enjoy God while you are living.

**God's Most Generous Offer

         Today's Gospel acclamation, Revelation 2.10: Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. A lifetime, no matter how long, is nothing when compared to eternity. This promise is so fantastically generous that we cannot possibly ignore? God always wants us to have the very best for all eternity! 

**Enemy of the People*

        Today's fake mainstream news media are indeed the enemy of the people. They lie, fabricate stories, and are completely biased, attempting to brainwash us into believing that the lies are truths and the truths, lies. This is what the Communists do. Right now, under all videos on YouTube that talk about the Presidential election, Google placed this note: The AP has called the Presidential race for Joe Biden. How dumb can they be? Obviously, Google's trying to swing an election. Secondly, they think we are so ignorant that we don't even know that election is determined by the court under law and not by the news media. These losers are so pathetic that they may fool some people, but they make themselves look even worse in the eyes of many more others. If you are fake and deceptive, God will expose you in the end. Ignore these media now is the best way to deal with them. For if we can ignore the Devil totally, he won't be able to do any harm to us.